


If I Must

by Tsukikoneko



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Chilton being a big baby, Cooking, Established Relationship, F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-24
Updated: 2014-06-24
Packaged: 2018-02-06 00:05:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1837090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsukikoneko/pseuds/Tsukikoneko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cooking together is always fun!</p>
            </blockquote>





	If I Must

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heavensong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavensong/gifts).



As you walked toward the kitchen, your eyes traveled over the stark white walls of Frederick’s home. Those walls always bothered you a little. They were too neat and too blank. It was a lovely modern house, but nothing like the cozy home you would have liked it to be. You stepped into the kitchen and smiled, he was waiting for you, leaning against the counter with his cane planted on the ground in front of him. 

“I don’t see why we can’t just go out,” he grumbled. You suspected it might be because cooking wasn’t a hobby of his or even something he was likely to be any good at. Then again, you were no top chef yourself, but you always thought it was fun to try. 

“Oh come on. It won’t kill you to cook with me this once.” You offered him an overly sweet smile in hopes of coaxing him into conceding to you whims.   
“I suppose it won’t.” He sighed and smiles slightly as he moved away from the counter. He stopped at your side and heaved another, more childish sigh. You hoped as a joke. “What do you plan on having us cook then?”

“Well. I know animal proteins are a problem so I looked up a few recipes online for us to try out.” You pulled several folded pieces of paper out of your purse and flattened them out on the counter. 

“Oh. So it’s an adventure for both of us, is it?” He laughed, though you suspected it might be to hide his nerves. He was worried about embarrassing himself. After all, image was everything to him. 

“None if it looks too hard. Lighten up!” You kissed him on the cheek and made your way to his fridge to get out the ingredients you’d purchased earlier that day. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed his eyes following you wherever you walked. You could feel your cheeks grow a little warm at the smirk on his lips. He looked like a man who very much liked what he saw. No, no, you assured yourself that you were thinking too much into this. Yes, the two of you were in a relationship, but you were certain you were nothing too special to look at, right?

“Where do we start?” He punctuated his question with a tap of his cane on the floor. There was almost no enthusiasm in his tone, but you could see the hints of fondness in his eyes. That fondness was the reason you could convince him to reluctantly do nearly anything. Just a smile from the girl he adored so much and all his stubbornness subsided for the moment. 

“Wear this.” You tossed him one of the two aprons you’d also managed to grab. Of course, more than anything, you just thought it’d be cute to see him wearing it. He stared at it for a moment. It was a pastel blue with a pattern of small, yellow daisies. Yours was a pastel pink with little white rabbits. He didn’t look pleased at all.  
“I’m not wearing this,” he said bluntly.

“What if you get something on that nice expensive dress shirt of yours?” You tried your hardest to keep a grin from creeping onto your face as Frederick looked from the apron to you and then back to the apron. 

“I could just change my shirt,” he said despite giving a resigned sigh and putting the apron on. You also tied your apron into place. “What next?”

“There’s a lot of chopping to do.” You smiled and held out a couple vegetables. As he reached to take them from you, his fingers traced over the back of your hand and lingered there a bit longer than was really necessary. You blushed but tried your best to keep your composure, there was chopping to do after all. The two of you couldn’t mess this part up. He went straight to his chopping, a look of determination on his features. He was aiming to impress. Certainly he didn’t have the culinary prowess of a certain Dr. Lecter, but he could most definitely chop a few vegetables. 

After a few minutes of slicing and chopping, the next step called for the veggies to be sautéed. You pulled out a pan, put in a little oil and dumped the vegetables in. “I think we’re doing pretty well so far,” you said. 

“Well even monkeys can chop vegetables,” Frederick snorted. He always had to be difficult, didn’t he?

“A monkey might have gotten his pieces a little more even,” you chirped jokingly. Frederick merely huffed in response and looked away, though you could have sworn that you saw a little color on his cheeks. To appear busy, he looked into the pan, watching the vegetables cook, you watched him while walking up behind him and planting a quick kiss on his cheek. He couldn’t help but smile.

“Is that an apology?” he asked sarcastically. 

“Something like that,” you said while picking up a spoon to move the veggies around in the pan. He moved out of your way as you began to stir away. 

“At least it smells good.” He said as he positioned himself directly behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. He smirked upon noticing that you were blushing. 

“I knew you’d come around,” you said. “I bet you’re warming up to your apron too.” You couldn’t withhold a small giggle.

“Don’t remind me that I’m wearing this…” He rolled his eyes, but seemed to take the jest rather well. He let go of your waist, much to your displeasure, and moved to pour each of you a glass of wine to drink while you continued to prepare dinner. 

You found yourself staring down into the pan, wondering if the veggies were cooked enough or too much. You probably should have read the recipe more carefully before you started. You were so lost in thought that you didn’t even notice Frederick standing behind you once more, until you felt that light slap of his hand on your behind. You jumped and let out a little yelp of surprise and embarrassment.

“You should be paying more attention. You could burn yourself, you know.” He grinned snidely, showing he was clearly very proud of himself. 

“I’m more likely to burn myself with you sneaking up on me!” You tried to look angry with him, but really you always thought his cocky attitude and playful butt touches were charming. Damn him being you charming. 

He responded with a shrug and the fakest apologetic look you’ve ever seen in your life, causing you to laugh once more and smack him on the shoulder before wrapping your arms around him. “You’re impossible!” You laughed again as he hugged you back, kissing you on the cheek again as he did so.

“One of my many strong points.” He laughed this time and the two of you stood in place hugging and smiling for a short time. It didn’t seem all that entire long but, “Do you smell smoke?”

“Our dinner!” You released yourself from the embrace to see smoke rising from the pan on the stove. Quickly, you grabbed it and tossed it in the sink, turning on the faucet. It was probably an overreaction, but you hardly wanted to set Frederik’s house on fire. You frowned as you looked at the mess that was now sitting in his sink.

“Maybe we should order something?” He asked, trying not to laugh too much at your colossal failure. You nodded sadly, prompting him to pull you closer to him and give you a peck on the lips. “We’ll do better next time.” 

“Will you wear the apron again?” 

“If I must.” He didn’t sound pleased despite the smile.

The two of you ordered dinner and sat together on his couch watching old movies for the rest of the evening. Maybe it didn’t look it, but Frederick’s house could at least feel cozy when the two of you were together like this.


End file.
